


A Sacrifice

by lancer365



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Drama, Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-21
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-02 13:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2814260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lancer365/pseuds/lancer365
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Having run out of options, Kuvira's father is forced to make the hardest decision of his life. One that will change the lives of both Suyin Beifong and Kuvira.</p><p>New chapter up :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A.N: A few words about this. Basically I wrote this because I thought that we would never learn about Kuvira's past. Now that we know a little more about it, this is not really super canon...I mean it's still plausible...just not canon. lol  
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A Sacrifice  
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156 AG

Looking up to the blackened sky, Kuvira tugged on the long coat of her father. "Dad, Dad."

"What is it kiddo?" The large man winced at the pain in the left side of his chest, as he tried his best to put on a reassuring smile for his daughter. He didn't want to do what he had to do, but he didn't have any more options.

"Where are we?" Kuvira said, holding onto her father's hand.

"Zaofu." He said with a labored breath, as he led the girl through the sparsely occupied streets of the main city with haste.

Remembering the security protocols of Zaofu from his last visit years ago, he searched the streets for a guard. No one got up to the main control center of Zaofu without clearance, or without somebody authorized to walk the grounds. Knowing that, he moved through the quiet streets seeking out a guard to use to gain access.

Kuvira tried her best to keep up with her father's pace, but her shorter legs were wearing out fast. "Dad, I'm tired."

"I know you are kiddo…but we have to keep moving."

Turning onto another street, the man finally spotted a guard patrolling near an alleyway.

Stopping by one of the city benches, he kneeled down coming face to face with his daughter. "Look, I want you to sit right here." He said, holding onto Kuvira's upper arms. "Don't. Follow me."

"But I wanna come with you."

The man's mouth turned up into a sad smile, as he looked into his little girl's eyes.

Ignoring the throbbing pain near his shoulder, he lifted Kuvira up; sitting her down on the bench, as he took off his jacket, putting it around the girl's tiny arms.

"No. Stay right here, I'm not going to be gone long." He said, turning his head to look down the street at the guard, before shifting his attention once more to the little girl kicking her legs back and forth as she sat on the bench. "Promise me, you're not going to move."

"Ok, I promise."

"I'll be right back." He said, standing up as he started to walk in the direction of the guard.

Moving towards the guard, he looked back, making sure Kuvira was out of view and couldn't witness the person he was about to become.

A man like him wasn't supposed to have a daughter; and needless to say, he had never planned on Kuvira being born. He wouldn't call her a mistake, but she was the result of a drunken one night stand with an old friend that had gone too far.

Bringing a child into his world was the worst thing he could have ever done. With him, Kuvira would never have a normal life. They would always be on the run, having to move from city to city just to keep her safe. She couldn't continue to grow up like that; she needed stability in her life; something he could no longer provide.

He had done his best to protect her from his world and the enemies that wanted him dead. Every sharp pain that coursed throughout his body as he walked closer to the guard, reminded him of how close he had just come to losing her. Even if it was against his will, he had to let her go, before his luck ran out and she ended up dead.

"Hey! You!" He called to the guard grabbing his attention.

"Yes sir" The guard turned towards him, looking at the man's darkened eyes cautiously as he approached. "W-What do you need?"

"I need you to take me to Suyin." He looked at the guard, watching him move back one step with every forward step he took.

"I-I can't do that."

"Ok, let me try asking you again." The man reached out, swiftly grabbing the guard by the throat as he pushed him into the alley and against the cold wall. "I'm only going to ask nicely one more time." He lifted the guard off his feet. "So, can you take me to Suyin?"

When the guard hesitated to answer, the man tightened the hold around his neck. "You don't have long to decide, before I snap your neck and find someone else."

The guard nodded in compliance, taking notice of the Triad tattoos plastered on both of the man's large arms, made visible by the shorter sleeves of his shirt.

"Good." The man said in a dark tone, as he let the guard go. "Do what you need to do to get me to her."

Doubling over, the guard coughed to regain his breath, before stumbling towards the opening of the alley.

"Woah, not so fast there buddy?"

The guard was stopped by a hand, as he looked up to see the vacant red eyes of a man staring down at him. "We want to talk to him first."

Looking behind the man standing before him, the guard saw two other men come to stand at his side. The fire bender in front of him was no doubt the ringleader of the group. The twitchy rat-looking man and the quiet one, standing to the other side of the ringleader with anxious eyes didn't appear to be the commanding type.

Wondering if the Triad member had noticed them, the guard turned around to see the earth bender's eyes wild with untamed rage; his hands curled into fists by his side.

"Wonderin' how we got here so fast big guy?" The ringleader of the group smiled, walking closer to the large man. "Easy, we followed you…" The other two fire benders surrounded him, as the ringleader made his way to whisper close to the man's ear. "I was right behind you the whole time." The fire bender's face broke into a wide devil-ish smile. "I wanted you to think you were safe, lower your guard down…" The fire bender laughed, moving back into the rest of his group. "…you didn't really think running away was going to help you, now did you?"

The Ringleader stayed silent, letting his eyes search for something around the Triad member.

"Hey, where's that little girl you had?" His mouth turned up into an evil smile, as he moved a hand to rest on the buckle of his belt. "She's cute…I'll make sure to do her real good, right next to your dead body."

The Guard who had pressed himself to the wall saw nothing but a blur, as the Triad member lunged at the Ringleader with an unprecedented speed.

Gripping the fire bender's face, the large man dragged him to the nearby wall, smashing the man's head in repeatedly until his face was no longer recognizable. Satisfied by the blood on his hands; the earth bender let go of the Ringleader, dropping him to the floor as he slowly stepped over his body.

Turning his head, the Triad member locked eyes with the guard who had slid down the wall, horrified by the scene he saw before him. 'How was anybody even capable of that kind of violence?' he thought, as the Triad member approached him, looking down with animalistic eyes blinded by rage.

"No! I'm not your enemy!" The guard pleaded, holding his hands up in defense, as he pointed past the earth bender, to the other two fire benders behind him readying their attacks. "They are!"

Silently the man hovered above the terrified guard, masked in the shadows of the night.

With a dark gleam to his predatory eyes that shone in the light, the earth bender slowly turned away from the guard to look behind him at the two fire benders with a growl.

The two men shared an uncertain looked with each other, as they stood frozen in place.

With their Ringleader dead, it had become a fight of every man for himself; and they had grievously misjudged the power of the Triad member before them.

Breathing heavily, one of the fire benders launched a futile attack of flames that went easily dodged by the approaching earth bender.

Stepping within arms distance, the Triad member launched at the second guy, gripping his hands around his throat, as he shoved him to the wall.

Squeezing his hands to the bone until the fire bender's vein's bulged from his neck, the earth bender didn't notice the knife in the man's hand, preparing for an attack.

The knife plunged into his chest in between his ribs as the earth bender let out a grunt, still choking out the last bit of life from the man within his grasp.

Releasing the fire bender from his bloodied hands; he staggered back, inhaling a wheeze as he felt his breath constrict.

The guard, who had crawled out of the dark alley, glanced back at the earth bender. The man had dropped to his knees trying to take the knife out, as he continued to wheeze.

Getting back to his feet, the guard ran to the nearest phone in the guard house.

With fearfully shaking hands, he dialed the number to Suyin's office. It was late, but all the guards knew that the matriarch had a habit for staying up way into the early hours of the morning; so the chances that she would be asleep were slim.

"Suyin." The guard's shoulders relaxed slightly hearing the familiar voice of the matriarch.

Breathing heavily he struggled to find his words. "Uh m-ma'am…you h-have to get downtown…quickly."

Suyin's eyebrows furrowed hearing the panic in the young guard's voice. "What is it?"

"There's…There's a T-Triad member…and he's fighting with s-some fire benders who followed him to Zaofu."

At the word Triad, Suyin's eyes widened. 'Was it someone here to kill her for escaping when she had the chance; to tie up their loose ends?'

Ignoring the thoughts in her mind screaming for her not to go; she picked up the phone receiver she hadn't realized she dropped. "Ok, I-I'll be down shortly…where are you at?

"Post 10 ma'am…and you might want to bring some backup; this man is very dangerous." The guard looked down, seeing the horrifying images replayed in his head. "…I've seen what he can do."

"Ok, Understood. Don't move from where you're at; got it?"

"Yes ma'am."

Mutually ending the call, Suyin hastily got up from her desk. Dashing out the door, she quickly rounded a corner down the hall; missing the shocked look of a guard's face she had almost hit.

Stepping outside, the cold chill of the night air touched her face, as she let her hurried strides carry her to the guardhouse across the courtyard.

The matriarch rapidly opened the guardhouse door, startling everyone in place.

Suyin stood in the doorway for a moment, looking around at the board games on the tables and the piece of food that slid out of one of the guard's hands. "Come on, I need three of you to come with me…Now!" She turned around heading through the doorway. "I don't care who…but come on."

The guards looked amongst themselves, as the first three who picked their helmets up left, following Suyin.

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Back in the city, the terrified guard peeked around the corner of the opening leading into the alley, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

The last fire bender had backed himself into a corner; holding a knife out to protect him from the advancing Triad member.

Stepping on something under his boot, the earth bender looked down, focusing on the knife that lay discarded from the second fire bender he had killed. He stared at it for a while, before lifting his head back up to the fire bender's darting eyes and continuing his advance.

This was the last man he had to kill and then he could go back to Kuvira.

Dodging a knife attack, fire bender wildly swung at him; before the earth bender grabbed his wrist, breaking it as he listened to the knife drop to the floor.

Before the man could cry out in pain, the Triad member seized his throat, sliding him up against the wall as he ignored the cold chill of a rain drop that fell on his shoulder.

As the fire bender struggled and kicked in his grasp, the earth bender stared into his red eyes with vacant green ones, watching and waiting for the rest of his life to drain.

"Drop him and Turn around."

At the recognizable voice, the earth bender broke from his rage, sliding the fire bender back down to his feet. "Suyin?" He said to himself, staring at the grey wall space next to the head of the man still locked in his grasp. Letting the fire bender go, the Triad member turned around walking closer to the opening of the alley way, as the cold rain started to fall harder. Stepping into the light his face met hers for the first time in years.

Suyin's eyes went wide, taking in both the reunion and the bloodied state of the man before her. "Auren?"

Behind the Triad member, the fire bender regained his breath before crouching down; angrily looking to the earth bender's back he took notice of the metallic chain around his neck.

"What are you doing here?" He heard the woman speak as he picked up the knife from the mud, slowly advancing on the distracted Triad member, careful not to alert the woman or the guards standing behind her.

"I was coming to s-"

The fire bender shot up too quickly for anyone to take action, as he yanked Auren down by the chain around his neck, swiftly stabbing the knife directly in the Triad member's heart. "You're pathetic."

In an adrenaline fused flash of speed, Auren took the knife from his chest, turning around within the fire bender's grasp, to plunge the knife straight into his neck. "No…you're pathetic." The Triad member said, watching the man stumble back to the wall as exhaled his last breath.

Beginning to feel light-headed, Auren stood in place watching the blood flowing down his arm, contradicting the pain he couldn't yet feel. Time around him seemed to slow, as he staggered to the wall, extending an arm out to support himself. Turning to lean against the wall, he heard Suyin's voice call his name through the constant pounding in his ears. With his head hanging, he saw two hands grab his chest as he slid down the wall.

Auren lifted his head, feeling a pressure behind his eyes as they attempted to clear up the image of the matriarch's face in front of him. When her face came into view, he saw her eyes widened and darting with worry.

"Shit." Suyin frantically tried to stop the blood from pouring out of his chest with her hands.

They had met years ago in Republic City, when she had first gotten involved with the Triad gang. Finding him, amongst all the nasty men in the gang had been a life-saver for her. They watched out for each other…or rather he watched out for her.

"…yup that's …how I feel right now." Auren said trying to reassure her with a smile, as he breathed through is mouth.

"That's not funny." The matriarch looked back at him with angry eyes, before turning her head to see the other guards standing with shocked expressions on their faces. "Well don't just stand there like idiots…two of you, go get help, Now!"

Two out of the four guards present left immediately after Suyin's enraged outburst. As they left, Auren turned his head, staring at the other two present.

"Don't bother." The Triad member said, looking back to Suyin's worrying face as he removed her hands from his chest. "I was already injured before I got here."

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Sitting on the bench, Kuvira pulled her father's jacket over her head, protecting herself from the rain. "Dad, where are you?" She hopped off the bench, making her way in the same direction he had left, letting the bottom of the jacket drag in the street as she walked closer to the guards blocking the alleyway.

Out of curiosity, she peeked in between the two guards standing in front of the alley. She smiled for a moment seeing her father; sitting up against the wall with his head down, as he listened to the words of the woman kneeling in front of him.

But her smile soon faded, as she noticed the dark tint to his clothing that she only remembered seeing whenever he was hurt.

"I'm not ready for you to go yet."

Kuvira heard the unfamiliar woman's words too; but paid no attention to them, as her eyes stared at the blood covering the man; her father and the only person she could call a parent.

"Dad?" She said too quietly for anyone to hear. Dropping the jacket from over her head to the ground, she pushed between the guards.

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Looking up at Suyin, Auren watched the rain run down her face, sticking the wet locks of her dark hair to its sides. "I'm…glad you got out…when you did."

Through his blurry vision he focused on her saddened eyes. "You've done something…amazing here." Slowly he brought his hand up to the matriarch's face, pausing before he used a finger to flick her in the forehead.

"Hey! What was that for?"

Auren laughed as best as he could watching Suyin rub her forehead. 'Just like old times'

"I would have…never thought…that a little pain in the ass…like you…would have created all this."

Suyin smiled as she brought her hand down, lowering her head in the process to look at the splashes of rain hit the mud. "I grew up…and realized you were right."

Auren looked down, feeling himself getting further away from life. "Well I'm just…glad your past didn't…follow you."

"Well I-"

"Hey! You can't go in there!" Suyin turned her head to see one of her guards restraining a little girl, holding her back as she fought his grip.

"Leave me alone!" The girl turned back, trying to pry the hand from her arm.

Auren's head snapped up hearing his daughter's voice, and for a moment he forgot about pain and forgot about dying. "Hey! Don't you touch her!"

Suyin looked back at the earth bender, watching him struggle as he used the last of his strength trying to get up from the mud. "Don't move. They won't hurt her."

Pushing him back down, the matriarch looked at the man breathing heavily as his shoulders slumped. Who was this little girl and what was she to him?

Turning her head to the guard, she gestured with a slight movement of her head. "Let her through."

Kuvira ran to her father, brushing past the unfamiliar woman. "Dad."

Auren looked up, opening an arm to the girl, wincing as he felt her impact hit his side. "Hey kiddo."

"You forgot about me, and I was scared." Kuvira said, burying her face into his chest.

Closing his eyes, the earth bender took in a deep breath as he held his daughter closer. "No…I didn't forget…about you."

Kuvira looked up at his face, noticing the hazy look to his eyes, as she listened to the labored breathing pattern of the earth bender. "Why are you breathing funny?" She turned her head to Suyin whose horrified eyes darted between her and Auren. "What's going on, Dad?"

"Shhh…." With an unsteady hand, Auren turned Kuvira's head away from Suyin. "Come here."

Lifting his head, he saw the matriarch's wide eyes staring at the girl in his arms.

"I-Is she your…d-daughter?"

As Suyin looked up, Auren silently nodded his head in acknowledgement.

"What were you doing here in the first place Auren?"

Taking a few shallow breaths, the earth bender turned his head to look out the opening of the alleyway. "…I was…bringing her…to you."

"What?"

Hearing the shock in Suyin's voice, he turned his head, connecting their eyes.

"Yes…I wanted…to ask you…to do me the biggest…favor of my life…and take her…with you."

The matriarch lowered her head to look at Kuvira, burying herself further into his chest, hiding away from all the onlookers.

"Please Suyin." Auren pleaded with the matriarch, knowing it was only her decision to make. "I can't give her…what she needs…anymore." He shifted his gaze back down to Kuvira. "Please take care…of her for me."

Lifting his arms slowly through the pain he could now feel, he placed his hands on the sides of the girl's head below. Leaning down, he kissed the top of her head. "I love you kiddo. Don't ever forget that."

Moving his hands to her shoulders, he drew the girl in closer, as he lifted his head to gaze past the matriarch over to the wall at the opposite end. "Do you remember…what I always tell you?"

Kuvira looked up. "Stay here."

The earth bender smiled, feeling himself getting colder with each passing minute. "No…not that, the other one I always say."

Gazing down into the fabric of his blood-stained shirt, Kuvira remembered what he'd always say to her before she went to sleep, wherever they happened to be. "You're unbreakable." She said softly.

"Exactly, now look at me…and tell me that."

"I'm unbreakable?" Kuvira looked up, noticing how her father's eyes appeared more tired than they had been just minutes ago.

Auren nodded, hearing the lack of courage in his daughter's voice as he rubbed her shoulder. "In time, I hope…you will believe that."

Leaning her head against his chest, Kuvira heard the difficult shallow breaths he took get more and more spaced apart, as she closed her eyes. "Dad, when are we going home?"

Auren brought his head up to Suyin one last time, before gazing back down at Kuvira with despair in his eyes. "You're already here kid."

Watching his vision go dark, he used his last words to reassure his daughter. "…and I won't…ever be…that far…away from you." He took a last deep breath. "But, right now…I'm tired…so let me…take a nap, would ya?"

After a few moments, Suyin quickly looked up hearing the deafening silence in the alley. "Auren?"

With no response, the sound of the rain hitting the ground was the only thing audible in the stillness of the night.

Kuvira looked up at her father's closed eyes, feeling his arms go limp.

"Dad?" She brought her small hands up to his face. "Why aren't you saying anything?" She lifted his head, running her fingers over his face, noticing the lack of life. "No, dad I don't want you to take a nap. Wake up." Her voice broke in desperation as her hands grew more frantic. "WAKE UP!"

Watching the girl push herself out from her father's lifeless arms with a terrified look on her face, the guards looked down, taking off their helmets.

Hyperventilating, Kuvira sat in the mud, looking at Auren's slumped form with wide eyes.

Suyin slowly looked over to the girl, before she moved to her, silently taking Kuvira into her arms. She gazed down at the mud, listening to the girl cry tears camouflaged by the rain, as she held onto her through wet clothes.

Taking in a deep breath, the matriarch heard Auren's words echoing in her mind, as she remembered the night they had almost come close to death.

"It isn't that easy Suyin. This is more than just a passing gig…it's a lifestyle…one that will catch up to us if we aren't careful."

He had warned her years in advance of this very occurrence, and now he was the victim of his own life. As her eyes began to burn, Suyin looked at Auren's body before dropping her head, letting it hover over the girl she had pulled into her arms.

Feeling the little girl shake, the matriarch broke from her thoughts, slowly standing up out of the mud, taking Kuvira with her.

"….We need to get out of the rain…." Suyin said, staring at Auren's body as she watched the rain bounce off the skin on the back of his neck. "…Bring the body with us…" She turned, and walked slowly to the opening of the alley with tentative steps, as the girl's fingers dug themselves into the collar of her shirt. "…and tell the other guards…to call off the search for help."

Listening to the monotone like drone of the matriarch's voice the guards kept their heads down. "Yes ma'am."

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Two Days Later  
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"Here, give me your hand." Suyin reached out for little girl's hand. "You ready to go?"

Kuvira took the matriarch's hand silently, as she let herself be led up into the Mountains of Zaofu. She looked down at her feet walking with a lag, finding anything else to pay attention to other than the guards behind them carrying her father's body to his final resting place. She lifted her head up to the matriarch above her noticing her face was set in a stoic frown.

No tears ran from her eyes; No signs of her sadness remained. Suyin was trying to be strong for the little girl who held onto her hand with an iron grip. She had her time to grieve and cry, but that had now passed.

In the cold evening air, Kuvira felt her legs start to ache from climbing up the hills. When her pace got slower, Suyin stopped; looking down at the girl with reddened eyes, as she bent over taking Kuvira up into her arms.

Over Suyin's shoulder Kuvira had a clear view of the guards carrying the metal box. She didn't want to see it. And as the wind blew through her hair, she gave one last look at the picturesque greenery around them, watching the city get further and further behind, before she took her arms from around Suyin's neck; trying to bury her face in the matriarch's shoulder.

She wanted to hide away from reality if she could; finding comfort in the stranger she hadn't known for that long. Suyin had become her new safe zone. Kuvira found solace in being close the woman. She had a face that the little girl hadn't seen in a long time; a face of compassion.

Through the darkness of the world she had seen, her father had always been that light, making her forget the cruelties of life. But now he was gone, and although this woman would never be him, she had become the same kind of light in the darkness.

Kuvira gathered her courage and looked up from Suyin's shoulder; hoping that her father would get up and tell her it was all a joke. She stared with unblinking eyes, waiting for the wish to come true that never would. Lowering her eyes, she sniffled and buried her head into Suyin's neck. "…dad…"

Hearing that word broke the matriarch's resolve, as tears escaped from her eyes.

Coming to a fork in the road, Suyin stopped as she rubbed the girl's back. "Hey?"

When the little girl didn't move, Suyin crouched down, setting Kuvira to her feet. "Come on now, why don't you pick out a nice spot for him." Suyin said in a soft voice to the girl whose face was still buried in her neck. Pulling back from the matriarch, Kuvira looked into her eyes feeling Suyin nudge her. "Go on."

Turning around in the older woman's arms, Kuvira looked out at the scenery before her, letting her eyes set on a grassy cliff overlooking Zaofu. "There." She pointed.

Suyin turned her head in the direction of the girl's finger as she smiled. "Yeah, I liked that spot too." Looking over to the guards, the matriarch lifted a hand from the girl, gesturing for them to start the burial.

The guards moved with heavy steps, placing the box down, before two of them opened a hole into the ground.

"Do you want to see him one last time?" Suyin frowned, watching the girl shake her head. Looking back to the guards, the matriarch nodded her head, signaling for the final burial process. "Go ahead."

Kuvira stayed turned around watching the burial, but she didn't want to see his body. She kept his memory alive by not being reminded that he was dead. "Why don't we burn people when they die?" She stayed silent for a long moment, not noticing the disturbed look on Suyin's face. "…Fire benders do."

The matriarch watched the girl walk away from her grasp in a trance like state, as she sat down on the hole the guards had just filled. Suyin looked at the girl staring out at the setting sun for moment before she got up, dismissing the guards in the process. She couldn't begin to imagine the kinds of evil Kuvira's eyes had already witnessed at such a young age.

Taking a seat next to the girl, she quoted something her mother had once said in one of her rare wise moments. "What is born of the earth should never be destroyed by fire; instead, it should be allowed to naturally become part of it again." Suyin smiled gazing out at the sun as well. "That's just part of being an earth bender."

Hearing a sniffle followed by a shaky inhale next to her, the matriarch turned to the girl, watching her cry silent tears.

"Come here." Suyin reached an arm around Kuvira, bringing her in closer to her side. As the girl leaned against her, the matriarch said nothing; feeling Kuvira's wet tears soak through her shirt. She needed this release; it would have been insensitive to tell her not to cry and be stronger. Her true strength was in letting go and releasing the emotions that would only hold her back.

"Why did he have to die?"

Suyin continued to gaze out, transfixed on the sight of her city bathed in a deep orange glow. "Death is unexpected sometimes." She tightened her arm around the girl whose tears began to cease. "And often it isn't fair in how or who it chooses to take."

Taking her eyes away from the view, Suyin remembered the item she had put in her pocket before they left. "Hey, I have something for you."

Breaking her hold from around the girl, the matriarch moved into a crouching position, as she turned to face Kuvira who stared with curiosity back into her own eyes.

"Give me your hand." Suyin said, reaching into her pocket, grabbing the long heavy metal that she couldn't bend.

Taking Kuvira's hand into her own, the matriarch pulled out the long platinum chain watching the girl's eyes widen.

Kuvira recognized that chain all too well. It was the one her father never took off; he always told her he'd die before he did. She never got the chance to ask him why it was so significant, but she had it now, and it was a small piece of him that she could keep.

"Here." Suyin placed the chain into the girl's open hand, hoping that Kuvira didn't notice the spots of blood lodged between the links that she wasn't able to scrub out. "I'm sure it's unbreakable too."

Kuvira gazed at its metal work for a second before she lifted her eyes back up to Suyin's. "Can you put it around my neck?"

"Sure." Suyin took the chain from Kuvira's hand, reaching out to clasp it around the girl's neck.

Hanging like a noose around her neck, Kuvira brought the chain into her fingers, watching it shine in the evening sun. "You'll grow into it one day."

At Suyin's voice, Kuvira looked up, imitating the woman's contagious smile, before it faded away from the girl's face as she dropped her head. "Where do I go now?"

Suyin rested a hand on Kuvira's shoulder. "How about you stay with me?" The matriarch reached down lifting the girl's head with her finger. "You think you could deal with me for a while?"

Kuvira smiled, silently accepting the offer with a nod.

"Good." Suyin stood up, pulling Kuvira by her hand to do the same. "Alright well, you ready to get out of here?"

"Almost." Kuvira let go of Suyin's hand as she bent down to touch the grave. "Good-bye dad."

Listening to the girl's last words, the matriarch gazed up, out to the city that had gone dark and whispered her own. "Good-bye old friend…don't worry, I'll take care of her." Taking in a deep breath she closed her eyes, losing herself in the wind that passed over her face.

Jarred by the sudden impact of a hand that grabbed her own; Suyin looked down at the girl. "Now are you ready?"

"Yeah, I think I am."

Without another word, Suyin led the girl back down the mountain side, to her new home below.

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174 AG-RETURNING TO ZAOFU

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"Great Uniter…are you ok?"

"I am perfectly fine." Kuvira said walking to the guard in front of her door.

Her appearance contradicted her words, as the guard took in the tattered worn look of her uniform. The dirt from the ground had stained the green colored material to a murky version of its normally spotless exterior. Her hair had fallen out of its meticulously done up-do to frame her face in a crazy and erratic fashion.

Staring at him, the person before him looked more like a raging bull, unrecognizable from the calm and collected Great Uniter.

"Move." Kuvira pushed past him, opening the door to her room.

Stepping over the threshold of the temporary place she called home, Kuvira heard the door close behind her. Her legs felt heavy with every lagging step forward she took over to the chair sitting in front of a full length mirror.

Reaching it, she gripped its cold metal back with both hands before sinking her head down between her shoulders, allowing the sweat to drop from her face onto the seat below.

In reality she wasn't ok. Her body ached like never before, and she was breaking emotionally; but most of all, she was disturbed by the fact that she had almost been killed by the Avatar.

Had she been killed, she would have failed; and the Great Uniter never failed.

As her anger rose with every passing second, Kuvira's breathing hastened. Feeling herself losing her grip on her anger, she pushed through the negative thoughts; letting her mind find the one memory that always calmed her down.

Closing her eyes, she tried to remember the feel of the matriarch's hand on her shoulder. It was a simple gesture, but one that Suyin often did when she saw the angry look in the guard's eyes.

"Let it go."

She breathed in, repeating the words the matriarch always said.

"Let it go."

She ran a hand over her face.

"…Let it…go."

She regained her control.

Pushing herself up from the chair, she closed her eyes; inhaling a deep breath as she rolled her shoulders back, regaining her composure. Turning in the direction of the dresser, she ignored her reflection in the mirror.

Walking to the dresser, she slowly removed every piece of her armor by hand, placing them in an organized manner on its metal top .

Picking up the brush that lay not far away, she took down the rest of her hair from the mess it had been, before she brushed out the knots until it was smoothed down once again.

Now, she was ready to look at herself in the mirror.

Kuvira undid the top of her uniform as she moved over to the mirror, draping the dirty article of clothing over the back of the chair.

Pausing in her steps; the Great Uniter held onto the metal frame underneath her uniform jacket, as she squeezed her hand before sitting down in front of the mirror. Resting her forearms on her knee, she gazed at the same platinum chain hanging from around her neck; the one she never took off.

Amidst every bruise and scar reminding her of her failures, the chain still held together, strong as the day Suyin had given it to her. "I'm still unbreakable dad." Kuvira gazed at her own tired eyes staring back at her, before she sighed and looked to the floor. "Still…"

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Another Author's note: If you're reading this, I'm guessing you actually stuck around to the end. lol…send me a message or review/comment and tell me some of your thoughts about this...Like always, I'm still friendly and I'd love to know who read through the entire thing . lol ;)

-oh and yup...still working on unintended consequences (If you're following that story lol)...I hope you will like what I have planned for that one.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After years with Suyin, Kuvira notices new feelings for the matriarch beginning to develop.

**A.N. Even though I am a suvira writer. This story is not intended to be that. Just warning you if there are hints, and if you're not a suvira buddy you can skip this. lol. Also, you can disregard the ending of chapter one.**

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** 168 AG **

“Sorry for the silence Kuvira. I’m almost done.”

Suyin’s voice carried over to where the guard stood with her hands behind her back, staring down at the city through one of the office’s giant windows.

For the past thirty minutes Kuvira had listened to the pencil tapping, light curses, and whispering of numbers that meant nothing to her, coming from the matriarch sitting on the couch. To be honest, she didn’t mind the silence. Instead she rather liked it. Silence gave her the best environment to collect her thoughts, and reflect over the happenings of the day.

It hadn’t been long since she’d returned from the city with the missing business reports in hand for Suyin. She had been forced to pay a visit to the CEO of the Shinto Furniture Company, after his subordinates had yet again “forgotten” to submit their final accounts to Suyin.

Although Suyin was a free spirited person, she was strict when it came to Zaofu’s economy. Even if she didn’t interfere much with the independent businesses’ daily affairs, she liked to know how they were doing in the long run. 

Not all business owners were so accepting of what they saw as an intrusion on Suyin’s part by looking through their finances.

But the matriarch let CEOs know ahead of time what the processes were, and about Zaofu’s – or really her _low_ tolerance for dishonesty. Even Bataar managed to have a good laugh when he light-heartedly teased his wife over her lack of trust, saying she was “Mothering the city.”

Sometimes potential business partners were turned away by those aspects and went elsewhere. Others knew Zaofu was a great place to make a profit and stayed, coming to find that Suyin’s semi-intrusive methods tended to work out for the better. She pointed out where their economic flaws were, letting companies work through the rest on their own.

Her only concern was keeping Zaofu together, alive, and running smooth. 

A city’s economy could make or break its well-being. And Zaofu stayed strong in part because its companies were thriving, but also because Suyin made the necessary adjustments when she had to, putting needed money where it counted the most, while carefully watching the financial stats and records.

Every six months, business leaders were supposed to report to her their final sales and accounts. Then she would undertake the tedious process of recording and calculating the city’s overall standing. Bataar told her to get a financial advisor, to help her work through the lengthy task. Suyin tried it once, but she wanted to have it done a certain way. And after arguments began, she quickly let the advisor go, happier to do the tiring work on her own.

Fortunate enough, she had always been good with numbers. She could solve equations in her head, plugging the puzzles together with ease. Money was no different. Maybe it was the fact that she had been surrounded by it her whole life, but she never did need much help figuring out the intricacies of how it worked.

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Closing the large leather-bound book on the table in front of her, Suyin stood from the couch with a short stretch, looking over to the guard staring out the office window. “What’s bothering you?” She walked over, hoping for an answer from the eighteen year old. 

But Kuvira knew better than to let her feelings show, the reason for her stoic mask. Long ago, her father taught her how important it was not to show weakness.

**_“‘Weakness is a man’s demise’…Well at least that’s how my father told me. But I think that applies to all people, that means you too.”_ **

But now, as Suyin laid a hand on her shoulder she felt a great sensation of pacifying relief.

Today she was tired, more so than normal, not only physically but mentally, and Suyin never failed to offer her comfort.

It wasn’t just the strenuous guard training, or the early mornings and late nights that normally cut her sleep down to five hours, six if she were lucky. It wasn’t just the new demand of growing into the role as Suyin’s right hand. Or the equally new stress of acting as a bodyguard, being Suyin’s eyes and ears if the matriarch decided to go outside of Zaofu, which for her, tended to be often.

No, it was all of that, only now, the emotions Kuvira kept out of her professional work were starting to catch up, intensifying as she became more personally invested in Suyin.

All their time together drew them closer. And now, and only through Suyin was she deciding to confide what bothered her the most.

When the silence got the better of the moment, Suyin turned Kuvira to face her with a soft smile, looking up into the guard’s questioning eyes as her hands rested on Kuvira's shoulders.

"You know, in the years I’ve known you, I have hardly ever seen you relax.” Suyin glanced away, smirking in her momentary thought. “I think you take life a little too seriously.” Her eyes moved back, holding their gaze for drawn out length that made Kuvira uneasy. She had watched Suyin interact with people long enough to know Suyin was trying to see right through her, trying to find the answers to her curious questions in her eyes.

And the guard knew, some way, somehow, Suyin was going to pull it out of her; the older woman had her clever ways of getting what she wanted. And what Suyin did next only served to increase Kuvira’s unease.

She made a quick glance over to the grandfather clock close by her desk. Kuvira’s shift had technically ended over an hour ago, but the guard still looked like she was every bit on duty. Her hands locked behind her back, and her stance rigid. A soft grateful smile passed over Suyin’s features, as she took in her appreciation for Zaofu’s hardworking protector, even though Kuvira had a tendency to overkill it sometimes.

"You’re not a guard right now.” Suyin reached up to lift the helmet from Kuvira’s head. "So spirits, just relax for once." She chuckled and walked over to the couch, softly placing Kuvira’s helmet on the table with one hand, while gesturing for the stunned woman to sit down with the other.

The guard’s heart beat from her chest, pounding relentless as she watched Suyin meander over to the couch. That had been happening a lot lately, but Kuvira tried not to think about it, and tried even harder to push it away, moving her focuses elsewhere, keeping her mind busy.

She didn’t know what to make of it.

Going as far as to pass it off as a random palpitation, she always tried to forget about it, not wanting to admit, that it only happened around Suyin.

“But what about the-”

“You can take it down tomorrow...” Suyin looked down to the ledger lying on the table. “They don’t need it back right now.”

Sitting down, Suyin put a hand over her face, rubbing her tired eyes for a moment. “Now I’ll ask again…” She leaned back, her arm going over the top of the sofa. “What’s on your mind?”

 _‘You’_ Stunned by her mind’s quick admittance, Kuvira looked to her feet with a furrowed brow.

“…And don’t say nothing.” A slow smile stretched across Suyin’s face. “That wouldn’t make for a very good conversation.”

From where she stood by Suyin’s desk, Kuvira turned back to face the window, looking out at the city to distract her eyes from the matriarch sitting behind her. “It isn’t important.”

“ _And_ don’t say that either.” Suyin pointed in Kuvira’s direction with a pencil she had absently taken from the table; its lead worn down from hours of use.

Kuvira looked over her shoulder to Suyin, eyeing her briefly before turning back to the window.

With a soft sigh only she could hear, she gave in, walking over to the woman patting the spot on the couch next to her. Stopping in front of Suyin, she stared down into her eyes for a moment before taking the offered seat, and locking her jaw the moment she realized she had failed to judge a proper amount of distance between them.

The upper arms of their sleeves pressed together, and Kuvira brought her knee in closer before it too made contact with Suyin’s. While her heart subtly resumed its fast beats, the woman beside her seemed not care anything about their close proximity. Kuvira glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, but Suyin just stared ahead; her gaze focused on one of the tall, near ceiling high bookcases against the opposite wall. The hand of the arm strewn around the sofa, loosely hung over the plush green cushions; the pencil delicately twirling within her finger’s grasp; a hint of a smile gracing her lips.

Sitting so close to the person her dreams had just begun to revolve around, was not as nerve-wracking as the guard thought it would be. Contrary to what Kuvira’s heart told her, it was a peaceful experience.  And for a long time neither of them spoke as Suyin leaned her head back and closed her eyes, patiently waiting for Kuvira to say the first word.

When stealing glances at Suyin from the corner of her eye became no longer sufficient, the guard used her courage, turning her head to gaze at the beautiful woman with curiosity. She always wanted to see Suyin up close, and now came her best opportunity, as their faces sat just a foot away. A clench formed in her jaw as her eyes ran down the curvature of Suyin’s neck, taking in the details of the woman’s skin. Suyin had a healthy glow to her tan skin, a reward Kuvira knew came from her active lifestyle, and years of being fed the finest food.  

As her eyes lingered, they slowly traveled down further.

Reaching the subtle peak of the woman’s breast, Kuvira looked away, regaining her lost self-control.

Ashamed of her momentary lapse of judgment, Kuvira drew her eyes to the floor, only wondering what would have happened had Suyin caught her staring. Sure, she’d stared at Suyin before...but nothing like she had now. 

The chills came back. Like tiny pinpricks racing over her skin, they lasted only a second, but this time left a pulsating ache between her legs.

She wasn’t a stranger to those spine tingling chills as her body ran a frenzy at the sight of Suyin. But never had those chills turned into more. To ward off the arousal, Kuvira cleared her throat, turning her mind’s attention to answering Suyin’s question.

“I still think about him sometimes.”

Suyin lifted her head at the guard’s voice, looking down to the knee that touched hers, then to the woman beside her who kept her eyes straight ahead.

It was safe to say Kuvira wasn’t an open book. And as age grew on her, she became even more guarded. So, this rare moment, Suyin knew she had to savor.

There couldn’t have been many other _“hims”_ Kuvira would be referring to besides her father. She had never known the guard to date anyone, not that she noticed. Kuvira’s closed off personality made her an intimidating person to approach. Her father was the only one, and man at that, that Suyin had ever truly known Kuvira to have a strong connection to. When he died, Suyin felt a part of Kuvira had died with him, left in the mud of that alley way. “Your father I’m guessing.” She spoke softly.

“Yeah…” Kuvira leaned back, resting her head on the couch. “…I don't remember much, but...It still comes to my mind every once in a while." She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands and inhaled a well-deserved yawn. “I don’t know why.”

A sudden warmth fell towards the middle of Kuvira’s thigh, and with it she nearly froze. Her eyes didn’t need to be opened to know that she’d find a hand resting just above her knee. Her body responded with a flush of heat at the signature feel of Suyin’s hand. The gentle pressure and sensation created by each finger lightly squeezing into the fabric of her uniform, began to drive her mind insane. Luckily it was over before her thoughts strayed too far from what she considered tame and controllable.

“Come on. There’s something I want to show you.”

Cracking an eye open at Suyin’s voice, the guard watched Suyin’s hand slide from her as she stood and look down.

“ _Come on_.” Suyin grabbed Kuvira’s arm and pulled her up.

“OK, I’m up.” Kuvira's mouth lifted into a tired smile as she followed Suyin out of the office with a stretch of her arms, and into the familiar halls she’d become accustomed to roaming.

When she first called the Beifong estate home over ten years ago, the bright green shades of the halls had taken some getting used to. They were a major contrast to the dark and desolate places she stayed in with her father. But as a kid the conditions of her surroundings never really mattered to her. And more often than not, she didn’t have time to take the surroundings for very long before they were off to the next place.

Peeling wallpaper, dark concrete walls and dirt floors, or floors with holes and missing tiles, were almost all she had ever known. Occasionally, she remembered they’d find themselves in a nice hotel somewhere; money wasn’t their issue. But her father held steadfast to the idea that living in junk places kept them safer, because there, they were hidden where people wouldn’t care to look.  


	3. A Father's Love

**A.N. A Sacrifice came out before I had any real concept of Kuvira's mother. So there may be inconsistencies. However, now that I have a concept, this is what has come from it. lol. There is more about her in Unexpected Reunion.**

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** 155 AG- 30 Miles from Republic City -2 pm **

_“Dad, Dad, Dad?” The five year old pushed on the sleeping man’s shoulder, rocking him back and forth on the dirt floor where he slept._

_“Hmmm?” A tired lazy groan came from the man whose eyes were still closed as he rolled over and flopped onto his back, splaying his arms out over the ground around him._

_“Dad?”_

_“Wha…” The end of his response dissolved in his sleep._

**_‘hmph’_ ** _Kuvira hovered over his face; a hand of hers peeling open one of his eyes. Watching the deep green iris roll back, she snickered. “Dad?”_

_Again the gruff man mumbled more half incoherent words, and she’d had it, her little kid patience had worn out._

_Kuvira stood looking down at the man’s flat stomach. Without any hesitation she flew down sending an elbow into his abdomen, just below his rib cage. It was a move she had seen him use frequently on the “scary men” who dared to target them. “WAKE UP!”_

_“OOF...” With the surprising force of the impact Auren jolted awake in a fit of dry coughs. “WHAT THE -" He_ _shot up from the ground; his eyes still trying to clear her image. When they did, he saw Kuvira sitting down on her heels; her innocently guilty smile making it hard for him to get mad._

_“Are you up now?”_

_Auren let the tension out of his body with a sigh, and fell back to the floor._

_“Are you?” Kuvira sat up pushing her hands down into his stomach._

_“YesYes ok.” He pulled himself from the floor and sat up. With a yawn, he stretched his long muscled arms out over his head and then dropped into a slouch, looking over to the little girl with tired eyes. “What is it kiddo? Hmm?” He reached a hand out, rubbing the top of her head and sending a whirlwind of her hair flying in all kinds of directions._

_“ **Daaad**. Stop it.”_

_“You look like a little black fuzz ball.” He laughed, watching her shake her head then try to pat down the stray wisps and tuffs sticking out from her loose hair._

_Kuvira pouted, looking at him with angry eyes as he carried on._

_“What?” He paused in his laughter, seeing his daughter’s annoyance. “This hair is part mine you know.” He smiled, poking the girl in the side with his finger._

_He watched the pout break into a smile on her face. “Come here.” He grabbed her; playfully tackling her to the ground as his fingers tickled her stomach._

_Kuvira laughed rolling around on the floor as he poked her over and over. When he stopped she caught her breath. Looking up into his eyes she asked “Where does the other part come from?”_

_Auren smiled. “From a beautiful woman I love very much.” His smile dimmed as he patted the little girl on the stomach a few times. “Ok, for real, what did you wake me up for?” He stopped, watching Kuvira wiggle out from underneath his arm and get up, sitting back on her heels._

_“What is…” She trailed off, scooting over to pick up a newspaper close by. Holding it to her face, her emerald eyes searched with a furrowed brow for the word in the article that had fascinated her so. “…ss-ex?” She sounded the word out, her stare so intense it could have burned a hole through the fragile paper._

_Auren sat up. “What? Oh…that.” He rubbed the back of his head, running his fingers through the dark hair that had gotten longer throughout his travels with Kuvira. **‘Why do kids pick the worst things to ask about?’** He absently scratched at the almost month old beard growth along his rigid jaw line. “Why do you want to know?”_

_“It said it in here.” Kuvira held up the crumpled newspaper in between her fists and shoved it in his face._

_He could only sigh, staring at the word Kuvira’s tiny index finger pointed to under an article titled **‘10 Ways to Get Over Spousal Arguments’** in heavy bolded letters. “Why are you reading the paper anyways? Did you run out of comics?” _

_Dropping the paper into her lap, she nodded rapidly from where she sat; her eyes staring at him alert, her ears ready for an answer to her question._

_He dropped back down to the concrete floor, his head following suit in a more forceful fashion as it also met with the ground. Auren winced out a grunt at the pain Kuvira laughed at, and focused his gaze on the blue sky through the large hole in the roof, instantly regretting he had picked up that paper when they stopped over in Ba Sing Se._

_“I’m starting to think that your reading skills are getting dangerous.” He said with a grinning chuckle._

_This abandoned old house on the outskirts of Republic City had become their temporary shelter for the night. Its walls held an eerie reminder of a past moment of death. They were scorched, and noticing a blood stain and stab markings in one wall on his way in, Auren did his best to keep it hidden from Kuvira. He created a makeshift fire under the open hole in the roof to keep them warm, but mostly to ward-off the darkness around them, and give Kuvira light to read._

_Living constantly on the road, sleeping in the desecrated remains of an old house wasn’t anything new to either of them. Abandoned apartments and buildings had become safe places to sleep for the night, until they made it to the next big city._

_"So?"_

_“You’ll have to wait until you’re older to find out.”_

_Auren lifted his head from the ground and propped himself up on an elbow to look at Kuvira sitting by his feet, looking defeated. He smiled. “ **But** …” He stopped with a finger lifted in the air, watching Kuvira lookup with renewed hope. “Actually…Come here.” He motioned to her. “I want to make sure you’re listening.”_

_Kuvira scooted closer on her knees until she hovered by her father’s face._

_“There’s **one** secret rule I can tell you now.” Auren looked up at Kuvira staring down at him with an impatient intensity locked in her little green eyes. “You wanna know what it is?”_

_Kuvira nodded._

_“You sure?” Auren smirked._

_Kuvira nodded even faster as her impatience started to grow._

_“Ok, but you have to lean in so I can whisper it to you.”_

_Kuvira looked at him with a raised eyebrow._

_“Well it wouldn’t be a secret if I said it out loud now would it?”_

_Getting his logic, Kuvira leaned down, stretching her neck closer to him until…_

**_”BOO!”_ **

_She flew back landing on her butt; her heart left racing from her father’s practical joke. Watching him start to laugh again, Kuvira’s brow furrowed deep as she sat up, pulling her face into a pout and crossing her arms over her chest._

_Auren sat up straight and looked at Kuvira with an amused smile still left on his face. “Ah come on, I was just messin’ with you. Don’t get all pouty on dad.” He reached out to grab her elbow, but she ripped out of his touch. “Don’t you want to hear the real secret?”_

_“hmph...”_

_“I know you do.” He poked her in the stomach, eliciting a smile from the young girl. Before she could recover her pout, he poked her again and again, making little noises with each one of his jabs. Once Kuvira started to laugh, he pulled her into a hug, staying silent a moment, letting a wave of loving gratitude pass over him. “I love you, you know that right?” He smiled feeling her head move up and down against his shoulder. “And actually, that’s part of the secret rule.”_

_Kuvira pushed back on his chest and looked into his dark eyes with renewed curiosity. “For the sex?”_

_Auren laughed. “Uh yeah…for “the sex”.” He let go of her and watched her sit back down in a cross-legged fashion. “You should only have sex with someone you love, and it’s important you never forget that.”_

_“Like you?”_

_Auren looked away, clearing his throat before sporting nervous grin and looking back over to Kuvira, who sat oblivious to her discomforting question. “No…not quite. I meant someone else… **not** related to you.” _

_“How do you do the sex?”_

_Auren smiled and vigorously rubbed the top of her head._

**_“DAD…”_ ** _Kuvira struggled, swatting at his hand. **“Stop it.”**_

_“I’m afraid I can’t answer that one for you, not until you’re much older. That’s grown-up big kid stuff.”_

_“Aw, Why not?”_

_“You’re not a big kid yet.”_

_“Yes. I. Am.” Kuvira stood up and lifted her arms to her head, flexing the tiny bicep muscles._

_Auren stared back with a raised eyebrow, then another smile crossed his face. “Not quite.”_

_“But I will be one day.”_

_“Well, then we’ll wait until that day.” Auren watched Kuvira plop back down and resume her sitting position._  
  


_The growl that erupted from her stomach soon after their conversation was like torture to his ears. No parent ever wanted their child to go hungry. Her growling stomach reminded him of the little food they did have left._

_The grueling trip to Republic City was tiring, and had worn down a lot of their resources. Now they were on the out skirts of the city with thirty miles still to go before they made it in._

_With Kuvira toting along the trip would take over half a day. She was strong for a five-year-old, that much was certain. But still she was a five-year-old._

_A little less than half the height of the six foot three man, Kuvira wore out faster. Even when she was determined to keep up, after hours of walking she needed to rest._

_Seeing the exhaustion in his daughter’s eyes, Auren would pick her up if the trip was almost over, carrying her the rest of the way. But if there was just too much ground left to cover, he’d be forced to find a place for them to stop._

_Noodle houses, tea shops, hotels, arenas, farms, and many more places all became rest stops for them. Most of the time Auren was able to find food for her to eat and shelter for her to sleep. If he couldn’t find fresh food, he gave her what leftovers he had stored in the knapsack. If he couldn’t find shelter, he became her shelter, letting the girl nap in his lap as he stayed awake and on guard. As she used him as her pillow, he covered her with his jacket, keeping his arms locked over her just in case he drifted to sleep._

_More often than not, his paternal instincts wouldn’t let him rest until they reached safe shelter in or near their next destination. He had too many enemies to be caught blindsided._

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_Auren was a man who didn’t come from morals; he learned them. The Triad ways were ingrained into his being. Becoming a father made him see the good in life, but didn’t eradicate his past or the criminal he was._

_Even now, he would paint the streets red if it meant keeping Kuvira safe. A threat to his life was a threat to her life, and was treated as such, no less. He’d kill, He’d stab, He’d choke, and He’d bludgeon anyone who dared to stand in his way._

_The darker side of himself he tried his best to keep from Kuvira. But sometimes circumstances turned against him, and she’d end up seeing anyway.  She’d ask about the blood drying on his hands and locked into the fabric of his coat, or the red footprints leaving a trail behind him._ _All to which he responded with a smile, saying “I had to protect us from the scary people.”_

_From across the fire Auren stared at Kuvira for a moment, watching the girl’s bored eyes aimlessly jump around the room. She wasn’t begging for food, or even acknowledging that she was hungry; she just dealt with it. The girl before him was very special. She had respectful, disciplined mentality with a strong sense of focus, something she definitely didn’t get from him._

_Maybe somewhere inside of the angry vindictive woman he ended up loving, there was a shred of something good…or decent. Sara was calmer than him, quieter than him, and always more focused than him. Her mind didn’t waver. She could convince herself that everything she did had a rational purpose. Her steadfast mentality made her strong, but dangerous. She had all but shut down any part of her that could incite recklessness. She barely even smiled anymore._

_Once her mind was set, there was nothing that could change it._

_Even if Sara was a complex character Auren could never figure out, he knew that there were many more facets to her personality than just that of a callous single-minded person. He knew she wasn’t always the dark person she’d become. She could stand as the loyal protector, respectful to the Fire Nation crown. Or, be respectful, in only the loosest of terms, as she had proven so many times. Even with her bad attitude, Auren could still say that Sara’s admirable power and strength never derived from pride. Instead it came from her strong mental cohesion, or rather, the grand illusion of her mental cohesion. Sara had faith in her abilities. She never doubted herself, and in turn, never doubted her opponent._

_Too many times had he been at the other end of her blade, and still had the scars to show for it. He was never on her good side, but he still loved her._

_Her hands may have dripped with the blood of many…...but so did his._

_Recalling old memories, Auren smiled and looked away from the girl who paid him no attention._

_Out of their tumultuous love-hate relationship, with Sara’s hate for him often overriding much of the love Auren knew was there, Kuvira truly was the best thing they’d ever created...although it was far from planned._

_Even at her young age, Kuvira was already somewhat formidable in her own right. And the day she learned how to bend, he knew she would garner the same fighting mentality of her mother. Whether or not that aspect turned out to be good or bad, only time would tell._

_Auren looked back over to the little girl as their eyes connected. “You hungry?”_

_Kuvira looked down at her stomach, then back up to him and nodded._

_“Ok, this is the last one for now. We’ll have to stop and get some more in the next city.” He turned around and reached behind him, rummaging through the brown leather bag he used as a makeshift pillow, pulling out the last can of beans he had. In a quick pause he turned to her and pointed. “Don’t let me forget, got it?”_

_“Mhm.” Kuvira happily nodded._

_“Good…that’s your duty for today.”_

_“What’s a duty?” She asked the man who had gone back to digging through the bag._

_“Like…a task or an important job you **must** do…or something of that manner.” He turned back to her. “I could also say obligation…” He watched Kuvira’s face twist into confusion. “But I don’t think you’re ready for those big kid words yet.” He challenged her with his eyes._

_“Ob-i-ga-tion.”_

_And Kuvira took it._

_Auren smiled watching her little brain work to sound out the new word. “You forgot the L. Ob- **L** igation.”_

_“Obi-li-gation.”_

_“Close. But it’s not obi, it’s obli.”_

_Now Kuvira was getting frustrated and she furrowed her brow. “Obiligation!”_

_Auren laughed under his breath. He had to say that he admired how much determination came from this little girl. “Keep workin’ on it, but after you eat.”_

_Pulling out a knife from the bag, he held the can and focused down onto its metal top. “It’s a shame I never learned how to metal bend. This would be much easier.” He said, jamming the knife into the can and cutting around the rim until it created a large enough opening for him to pull back. “That’s something you **must** do.”_

_“Is it a obi…ob-obli-gation?”_

_Auren froze. At a loss of words, he just stopped and stared at her for a moment. She just never ceased to amaze him. “…Yeah.” He smiled. “It’s yours.”_

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_ 10 pm _ **

_Folding the sand colony made blanket in half on the floor, so a portion covered the ground and another could wrap over, acting as a cover, Auren prepared Kuvira’s make shift bed for the night. The blanket was her favorite; the only one she felt comfortable in, and the only one she knew._

_He used to wrap her up in it, carrying her when she was still too young to walk on her own; after her mother handed her over, saying she was done taking care of something she never asked for._

_Setting out for the Sand Colony, he didn't stay long, keeping the then unnamed baby hidden from his father -the Triad’s infamous leader; her dark red eyes creating a jeopardizing dilemma for them both._

_After forcing himself to leave the colony, a small open crate became his daughter’s resting place; the golden blanket he took with him becoming her only bedding.  Even as she grew out of the crate, her eyes steadily progressing to his deep shade of green, the blanket’s tribal patterns, mimicking the colors of the desert sand, never failed to keep her warm, and always reminded Auren of the beloved home he left behind for her._

_The little girl sat watching him on the floor; her hair done in the best braid he could manage, her tired eyes fighting to stay open._

_“Tell me a story, like from the comics.” She mumbled._

_“Yeah I’m not really good at that. But, I can answer questions.” He ended with a jovial tone, his back still facing her._

_Kuvira pouted, considering his alternate offer. “What’s a sposal?” Her furrowed brow loosened as her curious face waited for his answer._

_“What?” Auren raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders. “Beats me.”_

_“It was in there.” Kuvira pointed towards the paper lying on the ground near the fire._

_Auren’s brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what she wanted. Then he remembered the title of the article they were discussing earlier. “Oooh…Spousal.” He chuckled, laying a small pillow on the blanket before he turned to her. “Come on, bed time.” He opened his arms to her, waiting as she scooted closer to him. When she was within his reach, he picked her up, sweeping her into a lift over his head just for her own amusement, just to see her smile. “Ok give me a hug.” He set her down in his lap, and she wrapped her arms around his muscular frame as best as she could._

_Auren never forgot to reciprocate, always giving her a protective squeeze with his arm. “Ok, Bed.” He broke the hug, nudging her to get into the blanket._

_“You didn’t tell me what it was?” Her emerald eyes looked into his._

_Covering her up, his memory came to him. “Oh um…a spouse is an **unrelated** person you love, and you marry, and-”_

_“Do the sex with?”_

_Auren stared at her oblivious face with his mouth slightly agape. He wasn’t sure how or if he should answer that one. “Yeeah.” He responded carefully while glancing away the shame he felt for discussing sex with a 5-year-old. **‘Why is she so hooked on that?’**_

_A comfortable silence fell over the makeshift camp site._

_“Dad…”_

_“What kiddo?” Auren moved back to put out the fire._

_“Do I have a mom?”_

_Auren’s eyes went wide as he froze by the fire, not at all prepared for that question. “Well, Yeah. Everybody has a mom.” Auren’s thoughts drifted back to that Fire bender he could never forget. “And you wouldn’t be here without her.”_

_“Is she nice?”_

_“No.” Auren answered with a straight face, no hesitance in his words. “That’s why you’re with me.” He smiled._

_“Will I ever meet her?”_

_Auren steeled his jaw for a moment. Kuvira was asking a lot of hard questions with equally difficult answers. “Probably not.”_

_“Aww.” Kuvira sat up, the blanket sliding down to expose her soft green tank top._

_Auren didn’t have much for her to wear. Just the necessities he tried to keep clean, a couple tank tops, shorts, under clothes, a black jacket, as well as pants and a long sleeve shirt for the colder times._

_“Was she an Earth bender like you?”_

_“No.”_

_The fire light dimmed._

_“A metal bender?”_

_“No.”_

_“A mean Metal bender?”_

_Auren chuckled. “I already said no.”_

_The firelight went out. All they had left was the moonlight coming in from the ceiling._

_“Then what?” Kuvira felt a hand on her shoulder gently pushing her back down into bed._

_“…She was a Fire bender.” Auren pulled the blanket back over her, watching her eyes light up at his soft words._

_Kuvira gasped. “Oooo. Will I be a Fire bender?”_

_Auren chuckled again. “I’m still not sure about that yet, since you haven’t started to bend.” He grabbed his jacket and laid down on the ground near her. “Do you want to be a Fire bender?” He covered himself with the jacket, and looked up at the sky out of the hole in the house’s ceiling._

_“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Came Kuvira’s small voice. “But it…” She sighed her sleepiness as her eyes grew heavy. “…looks cool.”_

_Auren sat back up for a moment; he almost forgot something._

_Leaning over, he gave his yawning daughter a kiss on the forehead. “Get some sleep.” He rubbed her small shoulder and laid back down, turning his back to her; his eyes looking out to the dark, eerie wall at the opposite end of the house._

**_“Hey Earth boy…What are you doing here?”_ **

_He closed his eyes hearing Sara’s unique, yet impassive voice in his head, as he remembered how that infamous night began; the night he found his way back to that beautiful Fire bender; the night Kuvira was -accidentally- conceived._

**_“I guess I’m lookin’ for you.”_ **

_He smiled a soft smile that didn’t quite match his handsome crooked grin from that night._

_His hands could still feel the strong muscles of her body. His nose could smell her crisp, earthen scent. His lips could taste hers. His ears could hear her breaths. His eyes could see her scars._

_“Dad…” Came the tired sleepy voice behind his back, instantly breaking Auren from his remembrances as his eyes opened._

_“Hmm?”_

_“I’m hungry again.”_

_Auren clenched his jaw, then let it go. “Tomorrow. Ok Kiddo?” He listened for Kuvira, only to receive silence. “When we get to the city, I’ll buy you anything you want. Ok? Just don’t think about it for now.”_

_“Ok.”_

_Hearing nothing more in the long pause of silence, Auren closed his eyes again, that fire bender slipping back into the thoughts still on his mind._


	4. Chapter 4

A.N. I felt like adding more. I really like exploring the possibilities, and creating stories about what Kuvira's parents could've been like. 

 

**_ 150 AG _ **

****

_He hated the Fire Nation._

_Auren knocked on the wooden door, keeping his hood pulled over his head, and his eyes down. He wasn’t welcomed here, no Triad was, and especially not the new leader’s son. “Come on.” He said through his teeth and knocked again, this time with the end of his fist. “I swear you’re tryin’ to get me killed-.”_

_The door opened, revealing those blood red eyes, and the woman they belonged to._

_Auren slid inside, brushing past her before she let him in. “You know I can’t come down here like this.”_

_“And you’re not going to anymore.” Sara closed the door and turned the lock._

_He turned around, facing her, at a loss of words as his mouth hung agape. In silence, he turned his back to her, his heart pounding. He didn’t want to hear her say that, the finality of it made him angry. Pushing his hood back, the shorter strands of his mid-length hair fell out from his small ponytail and beside his face. He looked over the one level apartment._

_It wasn’t fancy. Stone floors, a small open kitchen, burgundy upholsteries, and a bed and bathroom he knew were in the apartment’s only other room. Around him, he noticed the lack of wear on the furniture. Everything looked clean, pristine, almost untouched, like she couldn’t have lived in the apartment. And for all he knew, maybe she didn’t._

_Walking further into the living room, he plopped down in the burgundy armchair that faced her, giving a glance to the dark wooden table in front of him as he made himself comfortable. “Well, you don’t love me enough to tell me to come over for no reason. So what is it?” He was nonchalant, playing down how he really felt at heart._

_Just once he wanted to see her smile, and welcome him back. But that wasn’t her. And sometimes, he just wanted to force it. Wanted to walk over and kiss her, latching onto her as he waited for her to stop fighting, and waited for her to give in._

_But that wasn’t her either._

_She wasn’t a damsel, or anything like the controllable women from the sand colony. Sara would kill him, and he figured she wouldn’t hesitate; the unnerving look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. As much as he had wanted to try, Auren knew he couldn’t control her. And now, he was crazy enough not to want to. He loved her as she was._

_“This…”_

_Auren stood as he watched her cross in front of him and disappear into the back room. Curiously he followed her, all the way to the bathroom door._

_“This is your problem now.” Her hand gripped the knob of the door as Auren took his eyes from her, watching, and waiting for her to reveal what was behind the door._

_She pushed it open, and his eyes widened. On the tile below sat a baby in a white diaper. The baby didn’t look at him, but a smile grew on its face as the door opened revealing its freedom. It was jovial as it struggled to get up, but ran out the door as soon as it stood on its own two feet. But the baby didn’t make it far before she fell on her butt, and then just sat there, staring at the front door._

_Auren looked up at Sara. “How long has that kid been in there?”_

_“She irritates me.” Sara held his gaze with a confident intensity. “I keep her in there until I’m ready to deal with her. She gets changed. She gets fed. That’s it.”_

_Auren swallowed a lump in his throat, almost completely terrified of this woman he loved._

_“So…she’s yours?” Turning around, Auren watched the baby try to roll itself back up. When Sara stayed silent, not answering his question, he didn’t bother to ask again. She heard him. But she didn’t want to answer. And frankly, he didn’t want an answer; he didn’t want to know what other man she slept with. The very thought made a rage boil within him._

_This other man had the joy of creating a small, living being, that only him and Sara could call their own. Yet, this man was nowhere to be found. **‘So he fucked her and abandoned her with a baby. I’ll kill that jerk.’**  Auren’s brow furrowed. Turning around he walked back into the main room as his fists clenched. “Where is he?” _

_“Who?” Sara passed in front of him and sat down on the couch._

_“The idiot who left you alone with her.”_

_“He’s standing right in front of me.” Sara didn’t even bother to look at him while he stood silently in the middle of the room. “I don’t want to see the dumb look on your face. So I’ll just wait until you have your moment.”_

_His fists unclenched, his mouth hung open, and his eyes grew wide, as he glanced back and forth from the baby to Sara._

_“Sh…….She’s mine?” Auren walked over to the baby, Sara’s eyes following him the whole way. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? I could’ve been here.” He finished, his voice holding a small amount of irritation._

_But again, Sara didn’t answer, and he didn’t bother pushing._

_Kneeling across from the baby, Auren stared at her in awe._

_He had seen babies born in the colony many times. But it felt unreal to look into the eyes of a child that was supposed to be his. He reached out to touch her, but hesitated as the baby just stared him down with its dark red eyes. Finally he poked her, watching her fall back onto the floor with a smile and a squeak. He gently chuckled along with her. “She’s something huh?” Auren watched her wave her arms and smile as he poked her a few more times. “I mean, I guess it’s a she…” He looked over to Sara, who just groaned in annoyance from where she sat with her elbows on her knees._

_“It’s a she. And you can have all the time you want with her. I Just want you two to leave.”_

_Auren looked back to the child, a sullen feeling coming over him, as he listened to how little Sara cared about them both. “Can we stay the night?”_

_“No.”_

_His brow furrowed. “Sara it’s-”_

_“No.” She looked up at him with a finalizing stare._

_“Ok…how bout I put it this way?” He stood and walked over, looking down at woman beneath his gaze. “I’m staying whether you like it or not. I didn’t come all this way to have you kick me out in less than an hour.”_

_Sara’s eyes challenged his gaze._

_“I’ll take her in the morning.”_

_Sara scoffed with a smile and stood, looking right into his eyes. “You don’t make any calls around here.”_

_“You sure?” The crease between his brow deepened._

_Sara opened her mouth to say something else, until she was interrupted by cheerful baby laughter coming from below._

_Both turned their heads to see the baby staring at them from behind the coffee table, its chin resting on the solid wood top._

_“So?” Auren looked back to Sara with a raised eyebrow and a light smile breaking. “How can you say no to that?”_

_Sara clenched her jaw but avoided his gaze. “You leave at 4 am. I don’t want to see you here after that.”_

_“That’s good enough.” Smoothing his hair back, Auren walked over to the recliner, and plopped down, opening his arms to the baby. “Come here.”_

_The baby smiled, carefully moving from the table over to him; her little fist gripping onto the table’s edge._

_His eyes burned a little watching her waddle over to him, he couldn’t deny that. A door behind him slammed shut, but he didn’t care. All his attention was on the child coming his way. When she stood right between his legs, he hoisted her up with a smile. “We’re gonna have to give you a name. Something **Strong**.” He emphasized with a clenched fist as he set her down on his thigh. “But not right now.” Auren’s voice softened; a smile starting on his face as he rubbed the dark tuft of curly hair growing from her head. Lifting her chin, he examined her face. “Hey, you kinda do look like me.” He grinned. “And I’m pretty attractive, so, that means you got the good genes.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Your mom’s hot too, but…hopefully you don’t get her grumpy genes.” _

_\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**_2 AM_ **

_Waking up with a start, Auren sat up in the recliner. ‘Where am I?’  His eyes searched over the dark spaces of the room. ‘I don’t remember turning the lights off.’ He pushed down the handle of the chair, setting his feet on the ground. Readying his body to stand, he was stopped by a small grunt coming from his lap. He looked down at the sleeping baby, who had taken small fistfuls of his shirt into her hands. ‘Oh yeah.’_

_“Come on, let’s go find mom.” His stomach grumbled. “Well, let’s find some food first. These muscles need fuel.”_

_He stood, cradling the baby in his arm, as he moved over to the kitchen. It was a small space with not much more than a few lines of polished terra cotta tile separating it from the living room. He opened the refrigerator close to the sink, and was saddened to see not a morsel of food. “Ugh, She can’t live here. There’s no way she can maintain a body like that with no food.” He groaned, closing the refrigerator door before he looked to the baby. “I guess that means we gotta starve for a couple hours.”_

_Walking out of the kitchen area, Auren made his way to the door to Sara’s room. Wasting no time in silently cracking the door open, he was shocked to actually see her asleep in the bed. “Wow…” He fully opened the door. “And I was expecting to find an empty room.” He smirked, walking closer to the opposite side of the bed, where Sara faced him. Looming over the bed for a few moments, he watched her to make sure she was actually asleep._

_Confident that the somber rise and fall of her chest was true, he set the baby down on the bed. When she looked at him with sleepy eyes, he smiled, holding a finger to his mouth. “Shh.”_

_Seeing that Sara still hadn’t woken up, he figured it was his turn to take a chance. He pushed his hands into the mattress first, then swiftly looked up to make sure her eyes were still closed._

_They were._

_At that he smiled, and carefully got onto the bed and laid down._

_Hoisting the baby up into the air, he laid her between them and studied her sleepy face for a moment, watching her eyes start to close. She had the shape of her mother’s face, and the barely noticeable beginnings of a rigid jawline that would one day mirror Sara’s. But still, her other features were mostly like his, with the exception of her red colored eyes._

_Looking over to Sara, Auren carefully reached out; a small tremor rushing through his hand, as he gently touched her forehead, brushing away some of her fallen strands. “She’s as beautiful as her mother.” He whispered, taking his hand away to rub the top of the yawning baby’s head. Closing his eyes, he listened to Sara’s soft breaths, knowing he’d just gotten lucky that she hadn’t woken up. If she had, he might’ve ended up fighting for his life._

_At that thought Auren smiled, rolling onto his back as he took the baby with him, resting her on his stomach. Absently, he stroked the girl’s curly hair until he, along with her, drifted to sleep._

_\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Never sleep with babies! I know.lol. But Kuvira’s father isn’t really thinking about what could happen if he rolled over her. Right now, he’s just overjoyed to have her, but doesn’t really know what to do with her._


End file.
